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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25374187">Scout's Honor</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nakeycatstakebaths/pseuds/Nakeycatstakebaths'>Nakeycatstakebaths</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bellamy is Charlotte's uncle, Clarke leads a girl scouts troope, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Girl scouts AU, Kid Fic, idiots to lovers, kid cuteness everywhere, no drama just cute, the one that got away, wholesome kid stuff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:15:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25374187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nakeycatstakebaths/pseuds/Nakeycatstakebaths</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Clarke decided to become the troop leader for the honey scouts, she wasn’t really sure what she was getting into. All she knew was that she wanted to make a space where her daughter felt included and help her make a few friends. </p><p>Between nature walks, camping trips, and yoga demonstrations, Clarke finds herself back with all her high school friends and their kids—including Bellamy Blake, her one that got away. </p><p>Maybe the honey scouts would be the second chance she always hoped for, or perhaps it would be another way for her to embarrass herself in front of him. Only time would tell.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>170</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Scout's Honor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomuchtroubletbh/gifts">toomuchtroubletbh</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm baaaaccckkk &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p><br/>Madi threw her backpack on the floor, the cluster of keychains she kept hanging from the zipper clattering as it fell.</p><p>Without another word, she brushed right past Clarke shouldering her way into the house and immediately disappearing upstairs. </p><p>“Well, hello to you too,” Clarke said to herself, picking up the discarded backpack on her way back inside. </p><p>This was a far cry from the usual cheery smile and excited chatter that marked Madi’s return home from school every day. She’d been a little less lively lately, but Clarke has chalked that up to adjusting to a new school year and the homework that came with second grade. </p><p>Now though, it was clear that something was wrong. </p><p>With a juice box in hand and a granola bar tucked into her pocket, Clarke carefully made her way to Madi’s room. </p><p>“Baby, do you want a snack?” she asked, tapping her knuckles on the doorframe. </p><p>“Leave me alone,” Madi’s muffled voice snapped back, followed by a thud that was presumably a stuffed animal hitting the wall. </p><p>“You have a flute lesson in an hour...you won’t be able to focus if you don’t eat anything.” </p><p>“I hate the flute. I hate everything.”</p><p>Clarke leaned heavily against the wall, trying to resist the urge to worry prematurely. Madi had always been a relatively easy kid, not one to rock the boat often. If she was acting like this, something had upset her. </p><p>“Can we talk? Please. You’ll feel better once you get it all out,” she tried, keeping her voice gentle. It was probably just a bad grade on a spelling test or a mentally scarring game of dodgeball, but she knew that at seven years old, things like that felt like the end of the world. </p><p>She was met by silence and the sound of another stuffed animal hitting the wall. </p><p>“I’m coming in, feel free to hit me with a stuffed koala if you want to,” she announced, easing the door open and bracing herself. </p><p>“I already threw him,” Madi shrugged, pointing to the discarded koala before she flopped back onto the bed. </p><p>Her blue eyes were rimmed with red, hair wild, and rumpled. Even her overalls had seemingly given up with one strap sliding completely off her shoulder. </p><p>In short, the sight broke Clarke’s heart. </p><p>“What happened?” She asked, sitting down beside her and holding her arm out so Madi could tuck herself against her side. </p><p>A small sob slipped out as Madi laid her head in her lap, smearing tears across the legs of Clarke’s old worn jeans. </p><p>Clarke sighed, running her hand through her daughter’s messy brown curls. This was bigger than a spelling test. </p><p>“Did someone say something to you? Do you need me to do something?” </p><p>Madi continued to cry, her tiny shoulders shaking. She was trying to explain something, but it was too muffled from the way her head was smushed into Clarke’s leg. </p><p>“All the girls in the class are in honey scouts...and, and, today, Luca and me asked if we could join,” she tried, still choked up but decidedly clearer.  “And...and...and…” </p><p>Clarke rubbed a thumb over her temple, allowing her the space to be upset but hoping that it was enough acknowledgment that she knew she was listening. </p><p>“And they told us that we were weirdos and that we should go be with the other weirdos. They, they, they said that nobody likes people with messy hair or boys who act like girls.” </p><p>“You know that’s not true, right?” she could feel herself getting angrier and angrier as this story went on. So much for zero tolerance bullying policy with all this happening. But she held her tongue. She couldn’t let her temper get the best of her. “Those girls don’t know what they’re talking about.” </p><p>“I just wanna be in honey scouts,” Madi sobbed, hugging Clarke as tightly as possible. “Why don’t they like me?” </p><p>Clarke knew there was nothing she could say to make it better, right now all she could do was let Madi know that her feelings were valid. </p><p>But she wasn’t going to take this sitting down. </p><p>***</p><p>“I mean, I expected a lot of things when I moved back to Arkadia last year, but...never in a million years did I expect that Josephine fucking Lightbourne’s daughter would be bullying my kid,” Clarke sighed, taking a long drink from her coffee. It was a touch too hot, burning the roof of her mouth on the way down, but she was too enraged to care. </p><p>Josephine had by and far been the most annoying girl in their grade. Her dad was the mayor when they were kids, and she thought that meant she owned the entire town. Whatever she wanted, she got, whatever she said, was law. And the adult version of her seemed to just as hell-bent on making everyone miserable. Instead of the president of the student council, she was now president of the PTA and, apparently, the leader of the honey scouts.</p><p>“Leave to Josie to take something that was supposed to be cute and fun and turn it into a popularity contest,” Raven agreed, biting angrily into a biscotti. </p><p>“It’s become some kind of gatekeeping thing. Only the cool girls are allowed, complete bullshit.” </p><p>“Emphasis on girls. You would not believe how upset Luca was. It’s incredible that in 2020 no one can wrap their heads around the idea of raising a kid without gender roles.” </p><p>“God forbid that people don’t want to raise their kids just to be tiny versions of themselves...” Clarke agreed, giving Raven a sympathetic smile. </p><p>Arkadia was, for the most part, a pretty accepting place, but they were still in the south, and some things were more readily accepted than others. Clarke had received a few side-eyes of her own when she came back unmarried with a child in tow. It was easy enough to ignore, especially since the people who made the most noise never really mattered much to her. </p><p>People like Josephine always existed, they’d bitched about her when she was a prom princess, and they would bitch about her now that she was a single mom. </p><p>It was all just noise. </p><p>She thought what Raven and Wick were doing was great. They were raising a kid who felt accepted for his interests and thoughts. He felt comfortable being himself. Nobody was imposing gender roles or sexuality on him; he was seven. It didn’t matter anyway. Luca was a great kid and a fantastic friend to Madi, and as far as she was concerned, that’s all that mattered. </p><p>If the honey scouts couldn’t see that, then that was their loss. </p><p>“What should we do? I feel like we should escalate this to the school, but Josephine’s cronies are everywhere.” </p><p>“How anyone let Ontari become a teacher is absolutely beyond me...” Raven sighed, draining the last of her coffee as she sagged back against her old worn fabric couch. </p><p>Clarke flopped beside her, both staring at the ceiling as they contemplated what to do in silence. It was oddly reminiscent of the time Josephine got them both cut from the cheerleading squad, except now they were in their thirties, and this was decidedly more personal. </p><p>“Adulthood has made you soft. Remember when we egged Josie’s car? Where’s that spirit?” Wick exclaimed, barreling into the living room and half sitting on them both. </p><p>“You literally got arrested for that...” </p><p>“Bullshit charges. And she never really fucked with us again, so it was worth it.”  </p><p>Wick smirked proudly, banging a fist on his chest for emphasis. </p><p>He had a point.</p><p>Taking this to the school would likely end up accomplishing nothing. Josephine and her daughter, by extension, were untouchable. </p><p>“He’s right. If we want our kids to stop feeling excluded, we have to stop playing this stupid suburban PTA game.” </p><p>“Holy shit, Clarke agreed with me.” </p><p>Clarke met Wick’s high five. Turns out, moving back to your hometown and hanging out with your high school friends leads to reliving your high school glory days more often than not. </p><p>***</p><p>“What do you know about honey scouts?” Clarke asked, looking around the table at a cluster of faces she hadn’t seen together since they were chubby-cheeked and about to go off to college. </p><p>“You mean the terror squad?” Monty asked, popping a fry in his mouth. </p><p>“The very same...” </p><p>“They keep stealing Jordan’s books,” Harper supplied, face twisting in irritation. </p><p>“Those girls told Willow she should go to the forest and disappear,” Miller agreed, scrubbing a hand over his short hair. “When we complained about them, the vice principal said it was just ‘kids being kids’...”</p><p>“Don’t even get me started...we’ve gone to the principal at least three times, and they’re unpunishable,” Emori nodded, placing her hand on her husband’s arm. </p><p>Clarke and Raven shared a look across the table, they’d expected as much. Everyone they’d called here today had the kind of kids who didn’t quite fit in with the popular crowd. They were all the perfect targets for a kid like Emily, outside of the norm. </p><p>“Well, we have a proposition. Raven and I would like to start a chapter of the honey scouts. A chapter where everyone feels welcome...and we wanted to know if any of your kids would be interested in joining,” Clarke announced. “We’ve all got something we can give to this club, knitting skills, botany, cooking lessons, woodworking. This is a new honey scouts, a better version.” </p><p>There was a beat of silence, seemingly while everyone processed what she said. </p><p>It was ironic; this group coming together again. They’d been an odd bunch in high school, a collection of people who had close to nothing in common but always found themselves in detention together. They were the troublemakers, people who never fit into the mold that Arkadia wanted them to. It felt fitting that almost a decade later, they were still trying to put people in this town in their place. </p><p>“Delinquents, the next generation. I like it,” Murphy smirked, holding up his beer for a cheers. </p><p>Everyone else raised their glasses as well, the quiet clinks of their beer bottles filling the air. </p><p>Troop 238 was officially in business. </p><p>***</p><p>Clarke rearranged the donuts she set out on a small plate, adjusting them, so they sat beside the juice boxes. She was weirdly nervous, even though she knew people were coming, there was still the nagging fear that this was all going to fall apart. Madi and Luca were so excited. They’d been chattering about this meeting all week. </p><p>She wanted everything to be perfect.</p><p>They had six kids so far: Madi, Luca, Jordan, Willow, and the Murphy twins, Elizabeth and Eloise. </p><p>Technically, they needed eight for a troop, but six were four more than they were expecting to get. </p><p>“This is going to work? Right?” Raven asked, leaning against the counter. </p><p>Before Clarke could answer, Madi and Luca burst into excited cheers. Within seconds Willow and another smaller boy raced into the backyard. </p><p>The kids wrestled around, cheering and screaming and running excitedly in circles—friends at first sight. </p><p>Whether or not this worked, if they managed to become a honey scouts troop. At least they’d helped these kids find friendship in each other. That was the point at the end of the day, helping them feel a little less alone. </p><p>“Willow insisted that we bring a dessert,” Jackson sighed, setting a sizeable frosted chocolate cake beside the donuts. </p><p>“I’m glad we’re doing this,” Miller added, nodding toward the kids playing outside. “It’s been hard for Willow to adjust since we brought her home. We’re happy that she finally has some age-appropriate people to talk to.” </p><p>“I think it’ll be good for them. Power in numbers and all that,” Wells agreed as he moved to hug Raven. “I hope you don’t mind that Jackson invited us. Zoran has seen his fair share of bullying.” </p><p>“You’re always welcome,” Clarke smiled, wrapping him in a tight hug. </p><p>Wells and Clarke had been childhood friends, grown up across the street from one another. He’d always been quiet, gentle, sensitive. When they turned 18, he joined the Peace Corps and vanished, completely ran away from his family’s law firm, and the political expectations that lay on his shoulders. </p><p>He served three terms before coming back with a little boy he adopted from the village where he was stationed. Zoran had a full head of curly black hair, dark sparkling eyes, and a cleft lip. Said lip, was likely what left him a vulnerable target for the mean girls. </p><p>It’d been a lifetime since Clarke and Wells had seen each other, both caught up in the busyness of their lives. She never thought they would become friends again, both single parents, trying to do right by their kids. </p><p>“We reached out to a few people, figured that we weren’t the only ones whose kids were subjected to all this.” </p><p>“The more, the merrier,” Raven chirped, slapping Jackson’s shoulder as she slipped out to greet Murphy and Emori in the backyard. </p><p>Now with more significant numbers, the kids were playing a rough game of tag, chasing one another in circles around Clarke’s lawn. </p><p>With a loud whistle between her teeth, Raven shepherded them inside, tilting her head so that the adults followed the herd into the living room. </p><p>The kids settled in the middle of the large couch, squished together tightly. Madi’s arm was sling around Luca’s shoulders. She was smiling so widely that her eyes were crinkling in the corners. This was the happiest she’d looked in weeks. </p><p>“Welcome to the first-ever meeting of the honey scouts!!” Clarke cheered, pumping her fists in the air as the children shrieked in response. </p><p>***</p><p><br/>The meeting went better than they hoped, the kids were excited, the parents were ready to be; it seemed like they might actually be able to get this troop off the ground. </p><p>Clarke never thought she would be the kind of mom to run a honey scouts troop, but she was kind of enjoying this. It was fun to see the kids so excited and to be able to create a space for them to feel included. She loved them already, with all their enthusiasm. This was the kind of club she wished Arkadia had when she was a kid, and it was nice to carve that out for her daughter. </p><p>But the downside was that she was completely drained. The meeting lasted the entire afternoon, with a lot of excitement. A few minutes of silence was much needed. </p><p>She was just about to settle in front of the TV with a cup of tea and an episode of New Girl when the doorbell rang. </p><p>It was probably just a package. There was no need for her to answer. </p><p>And then, it rang again. </p><p>Ding dong ding dong, two short rings one after the other. Whoever it was, they weren’t going anywhere. </p><p>With a deep sigh, she paused her episode and eased the door open. </p><p>“Hey, sorry we’re a little late, I couldn’t find the text and—“ the man rambled, running his hand through his messy curls as he smiled sheepishly at her. A dark-haired girl around Madi’s age was hidden behind his leg, peeking out just enough that Clarke could see her uneven bangs. </p><p>“Bellamy!?” She gasped, cutting him off mid-sentence. It was like she’d been grabbed by the neck and yanked back to 10th grade. Bellamy Blake looked just as good—if not better than he had when they were teenagers. It’d been years since she’d seen him, but he still made something in her chest feel tight. </p><p>“Uhh—yeah. I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me. Miller told me about this whole honey scouts thing...but uh, I think I may have gotten my signals crossed,” he sighed, eyes flicking over her sweatpants and haphazard bun. </p><p>“You missed everyone by about two hours,” she chuckled, stepping back so he could move into the house. </p><p>Bellamy scrubbed a hand over his face, his eyes exhausted. It was only then that Clarke realized how off-kilter he looked. </p><p>“I’m so sorry. This is completely my fault. It’s just been, I don’t know...I can’t,” he began, stumbling over his words as the girl clung onto his leg even more tightly. </p><p>“Do you want a cup of tea? I have a bunch of leftover donuts,” she offered, waiting for Bellamy to nod before she called up the stairs for Madi. </p><p>Friendly as ever and still in high spirits from earlier, Madi dragged Charlotte upstairs to play. Charlotte was definitely shy, but she followed along, listening as Madi rambled about her new accordion. </p><p>“I really am sorry. We totally interrupted your evening and—“ </p><p>“Don’t worry about it. Seriously, come in,” she said warmly, gesturing for him to follow her to the kitchen. </p><p>“This is all new for me. I’m still getting the hang of managing Charlotte. It’s just—a lot more than I was expecting.” </p><p>Clarke tried to mask her confusion as she plated up the donuts and poured Bellamy a cup of tea. The last she heard of Bellamy Blake, he was playing baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and had no intention of ever returning to Arkadia. How exactly he ended up at her doorstep with what seemed to be a newly acquired six-year-old was beyond her comprehension. </p><p>“And she just won’t talk to anybody. I thought maybe coming back here would help, ya know. This town has its moments, but people here are friendly and nice. I thought maybe it would help her feel close to O, but it doesn’t seem to be working…” he rambled, words tumbling out so quickly she had trouble keeping up. </p><p>Clarke wondered if he’d ever talked to anyone else about this, whether he spoke to anyone else at all. She’d caught him at his breaking point because he seemed about two inches away from completely losing it. </p><p>She slid the mug and plate in front of him, mulling over his words. </p><p>“So Charlotte is your daughter?” she asked, hoping it came across more like she was clarifying and less like prying. </p><p>“Oh shit, I just kind of dumped everything on you,” he said with a grimace, his cheeks burning a bright red. “Charlotte is Octavia’s daughter. Octavia and her husband got deployed last month, that’s why Charlotte came to live with me. I moved here from Cincinnati thinking it would make things easier for her, but I’m worried she’s getting depressed or something.”</p><p>Clarke’s heart broke at how worn down he looked. Bellamy and Octavia were always incredibly close. Even when they were kids, he was the one who dropped her off to soccer practice or came to bail her out of detention. Doing all of this alone, knowing that his sister was off fighting a war, it was a lot for anyone to handle. </p><p>“You’re overwhelmed, that’s okay, it’s normal. Being a single parent is tough. I’ve been doing this for seven years, and there are still days where I want to crawl under the kitchen table and cry. Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she assured, reaching out to place her hand over his. It felt a little overly familiar, considering that they barely knew each other, but she couldn’t help it. She’d always had a soft spot for Bellamy. </p><p>“Ten years later, and you’re still putting me back together, huh Griffin?” He chuckled, lifting his mug to his lips, so it covered his smile. </p><p>Clarke chuckled along with him, but his words left her confused. At best, Bellamy thought she was a pain in the ass when they were kids—putting him back together? Maybe he was confusing her with someone else? There were a lot of blondes in Arkadia. It was more likely than not. </p><p>She wanted to press him further, but he was clearly overwhelmed and exhausted. Now was not the time to rehash high school memories. </p><p>“Charlotte is more than welcome to join the honey scouts by the way,” Clarke said, breaking the companionable silence between them. </p><p>“I promise I’ll be better about managing the meetings from now on.” </p><p>“If you ever have trouble just call me, I’d be happy to take her to a meeting if you can’t.” </p><p>He flashed her a genuine, earnest smile. It was classic Bellamy, all dimples, freckles, and smile lines. The sight of it sent her heart fluttering the same way it had when she was 15. </p><p>This past week had been full of a lot of surprises, but this by far was the best one. </p><p>***</p><p><br/>Madi’s boots were about a size too big, eclipsing her knees and bumping clumsily against her thighs. But still, she seemed determined to stand right beside Monty as they waded through the muddy water. </p><p>“These right here are Litchens. It’s a type of moss. They grow on a lot of things: trees, plants, and even turtles,” Monty explained using his gloves hand to scrape off a few scales of the moss. “These scales are usually a sign that the tree is sick.” </p><p>The kids all gasped, Charlotte quickly scurried to brace a hand on the tree, rubbing it gently. She seemed very concerned with the idea that the tree was sick, her tiny brow wrinkled in concern as she stroked the bark. </p><p>“The moss is mean!” Eloise huffed, stomping her foot in the water just hard enough to make a splash. </p><p>“The moss isn’t hurting the tree. It’s a sign that the tree is sick. Like when you have a cold, and you sneeze. Lichens are like the tree is sneezing.” </p><p>“I still don’t like it…” Eloise shrugged, eyeing the moss with irritation. </p><p>“Well, you can write about that in your field notebook!” He announced passing out tiny pocket notebooks from his backpack. “I want you all to draw a picture of the litchens and then write any thoughts or things that you notice.” </p><p>He led the group back to the grassy area around the tree, flashing a thumbs up to Raven and Clarke, where they sat a few feet away. </p><p>“He’s a natural,” Raven said, leaning back in the grass while they watched the kids concentrate intensely on recreating the moss. </p><p>“The kids love him, and he managed to make moss interesting. That’s a feat,” Clarke agreed, tipping her head back, so the sun hit her face. </p><p>Monty beamed as the kids began sketching, drawing clumps of moss. This was their first official activity, a nature exploration to earn their environmentalism badge. </p><p>The troop may have started as a way to get back at Josephine and help their kids feel more included, but if they were going to do this, it was going to be done right. </p><p>As a college botany professor, Monty was their ideal choice for their nature lesson. It also meant that Raven and Clarke could sit back and watch while he wrangled the troop. </p><p>“So...how was your little run-in with Bellamy? You were very vague earlier,” Raven grinned, turning on her side so she could wiggle her eyebrows at Clarke. </p><p>“He seems so overwhelmed. I just can’t believe none of us noticed. He’s trying to manage all this by himself, and it’s tearing him apart.” </p><p>“I didn’t even know he was back in town, let alone that he was raising Octavia’s kid.” </p><p>“Everyone ends up back here eventually. I’m just surprised he didn’t ask anyone for help. Even Miller doesn’t really know what’s going on.” </p><p>“He always did like talking to you…”</p><p>Clarke faltered at that, concern dying on her lips. There it was again. Apparently, everyone knew something she didn’t because she had no memory of conversations with Bellamy when they were teenagers. </p><p>“What do you mean? He barely knew I existed in high school,” she said, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. </p><p>“Clarke. You’re joking, right?” </p><p>“He said the same thing, that I was always putting him back together...but like...I have no idea what either of you are talking about.” </p><p>“Do you remember when you were doing that mural for the Arkadia bicentennial? He used to hang back after school and talk to you while you painted for like an hour.” </p><p>“He was waiting for baseball practice! And it wasn’t an hour!” </p><p>“He was late to baseball practice every single day. It used to make Wick so annoyed. I can’t believe you never noticed.” </p><p>“I mean, I noticed, but it’s not like we talked about anything important. I figured he was just bored and wanted someone to entertain him.” </p><p>Clarke wracked her brain, trying desperately to recall those conversations. She wasn’t very chatty that year; it was only a few months after her dad died, and she mainly kept to herself. Her mural was the only thing that kept her afloat, gave her something to focus on. Every day she would collect her supplies and sit in the courtyard, weaving together a portrait of the town she’d grown up in. </p><p>Bellamy joined her every day, usually with a peanut butter sandwich and a carton of milk in tow—always wearing his baseball uniform. She’d had such a big crush on him, and usually, looking at him directly left her too nervous to speak. So she would focus on her painting, listening to whatever story he had to tell that day. Sometimes she would chime in with anecdotes of her own, give him advice. They never talked about anything serious. He never mentioned losing his mom, raising his sister on his own, and she never mentioned her dad. </p><p>It always felt like an escape, a weird alternate universe where they were friends, and they didn’t have to talk about their problems. </p><p>The rest of the time it was like they didn’t know each other, he would pass her in the halls and never say hi, she would walk past the baseball diamonds without stopping to watch him pitch. </p><p>She never really knew what to make of those peaceful Spring afternoons. Eventually, she finished her mural, and with it, that time with Bellamy faded away. He graduated, moved away, and a few years later, she did the same. </p><p>“For a while there, I thought you guys would end up together...but you were both just too big for this little place,” Raven shrugged, turning her focus back to the kids. They had reentered the pond and were squealing while Monty caught a frog in his hands, cupping it gently so he could show them the spots on its back. </p><p>They were both the type of people who intended to leave Arkadia and never look back. They’d talked about it a lot, how Bellamy was going to join the MLB, and Clarke was going to move to New York and be an artist. In the end, they’d both gotten what they wanted. But as fate would have it, they still ended up exactly where they started. </p><p>*** </p><p><br/>Harper ran her fingers over a wind chime, humming softly. The wind was gentle, a warm, slow breeze wafting over them. </p><p>“I want everyone to draw their knees to their chests and say ‘thank you body,’ hug yourself and thank your body for all the work it does,” she murmured as she walked through the maze of their yoga mats. </p><p>She’d been adamant that parents should participate in this yoga session too. Everyone could apparently use a little mindfulness, even if they weren’t trying to earn a badge for it. </p><p>A small chorus of thank you body rang through the group. </p><p>“I hear a lot of little voices but not a lot of big voices...let’s try this again. All together now—“ </p><p>“Thank you, body,” they all repeated, both children and adults. </p><p>Trying not to be too obvious, Clarke snuck a glance around the group. Wick was lying flat on his stomach sleeping, Raven was doing an extended plank seemingly unbothered by how long she’d been holding the same position, Monty was trying his best, but his hand kept slipping on his mat. The only adults who seemed genuinely interested in what was happening were Bellamy and Murphy. </p><p>Murphy’s form was precise, controlled, like he’d been doing yoga for years. He probably had been, he’d had to take anger management when they were in high school. This was probably his way of keeping centered. </p><p>Bellamy wasn’t nearly as graceful, but he was intensely focused. Even from a distance, Clarke could see every ridge of his bicep. His abs were tensed, his back perfectly straight. His movements were more athletic than peaceful, but there was something compelling about it all the same. </p><p>Beside him, Charlotte was also concentrating on her downward dog. Maybe this would be good for her, an emotional release of some kind. She still barely talked beyond ‘hello’ and ‘thank you.’ Perhaps the mindfulness would give her some confidence, help ease her anxiety. </p><p>“I can see you staring,” Raven whispered, edge a little closer to Clarke’s mat. </p><p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she shrugged, subtly drawing her eyes away from Bellamy and trying to seem focused on her lotus pose. </p><p>“Mhmm, sure.” </p><p>Harper shushed them loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to their corner. Everyone—including Bellamy. Clarke could feel her cheeks burning, but she kept her pose. It was better to play it cool. </p><p>“Griffin and Reyes making trouble in the back of the class. Some things never change,” Murphy snickered, breaking his focus long enough to turn and smirk at them. </p><p>“Oh, that’s rich coming from you Murphy,” Raven shot back, tossing a yoga towel at his head. </p><p>Any semblance of peace and serenity was pretty much shattered after that. The kids suddenly decided that yoga towels were excellent weapons. </p><p>“It’s been ten years, and you two still can’t go five minutes without arguing. If I weren’t so annoyed with you, I’d be impressed,” Harper snapped, tossing yoga blocks at both Raven and Murphy—perhaps a bit harder than strictly necessary. </p><p>“The class was great, Harper, really,” Bellamy assured, tossing a towel of his own at Murphy for good measure. </p><p>“I’m glad someone appreciated it,” she smiled, turning to speak more directly to Bellamy. They quickly fell into a conversation about getting Charlotte into yoga, both agreeing that maybe some mindfulness would help with her anxiety. </p><p>“Looks like the serenity badge served more than one purpose,” Bellamy said with a broad smile, it was the calmest and least aggravated any of them has seen him since his return. </p><p>*** </p><p>“Mom, I don’t feel good,” Madi moaned quietly, cheeks flushed as she flopped over her circuit board. </p><p>They were in the middle of Wick’s demonstration on electricity, so Clarke tried to be subtle as she led Madi away from the group. Maybe she needed some fresh air. </p><p>On their way out, she felt a tug on the back of her sweater. </p><p>“I don’t feel good either,” Charlotte whispered, voice so small that Clarke barely registered what she was saying. It might be the first words she’d spoken since the honey scouts had started, and that didn’t bode well for where this was going. </p><p>Wrapping her free arm around Charlotte, she led both the girls outside. The fall air was sharp, a noticeable difference from the mugginess inside the garage. </p><p>“Sit down, I’m going to get you some water,” she instructed, taking off her cardigan to drape over their laps like a blanket. </p><p>With one last look over her shoulder, she dipped back into Raven’s house, dialing Bellamy as she walked. </p><p>Straight to voicemail. </p><p>“Hey, it’s Clarke. Charlotte’s not feeling well, can you call me back ASAP.” </p><p>By the time she got back outside, both girls had curled onto their sides, shielding their faces from the sun. </p><p>They looked utterly miserable. </p><p>“How about I take you guys home?” </p><p>“I need to wait for my uncle…” </p><p>“I called him already, and I’ll text him, so he knows where you are. Is that okay?” Clarke asked gently, already helping her back up to her feet. </p><p>Charlotte nodded, clearly too worn down to fight her on it. </p><p>True to her word, Clarke typed a quick text to Bellamy before loading both the girls into the car. She left them each with a plastic bag in their laps, just in case vomit became part of the equation. </p><p>She was hoping it didn’t, but you can never be too careful. </p><p>Trying to drive as carefully as possible, she clicked on an old Fleetwood Mac CD and pulled out of the driveway. Every few minutes, she peeked in the rearview mirror, just to make sure that the girls were okay. </p><p>Madi was asleep, her cheek pillowed on the strap of her seat belt, wild curtain of hair covering her face. It was a relief that she felt okay enough to drift off, and for a second, Clarke almost thought they were in the clear. </p><p>But Charlotte’s face was stained with tears, her tiny shoulders shaking. She looked so small, so beaten down, it was like a punch to the gut. </p><p>“Charlotte, honey, what’s the matter? Do you feel like you’re gonna throw up?” </p><p>Charlotte nodded her head no, tears still dripping slowly down her cheeks. </p><p>They were only a few minutes from home, and Clarke didn’t want to push her too hard. </p><p>“I want my mom,” she whispered, voice strained, choked with tears. It seemed like the words slipped out on accident, like Charlotte hadn’t even realized she’d said them out loud. </p><p>Clarke’s heart cracked. </p><p>It was so simple. A seven-year-old kid wanted her mom to hold her when she was sick. It was something that Madi had, something that both of them took for granted. There was nothing she could do to make that better, no way she could help Charlotte get what she wanted. </p><p>“If your mom was here, what would she do?” </p><p>“Make it better.” </p><p>Of course.</p><p>Somehow that made the whole thing sadder. She felt for Octavia, who couldn’t be here for her daughter, for Bellamy, who was trying his best to hold all of this together and for Charlotte, who was upset and sad and just wanted her life to go back to normal. </p><p>Gathering both girls in her arms, they made their way back inside. Despite the jostling, Madi stayed asleep. But Charlotte wrapped her arms tightly around Clarke’s neck, holding her close. </p><p>***<br/>Charlotte was still curled in Clarke’s lap, head tucked into the crook of her neck when her phone rang. </p><p>“I’m so sorry. I was on a shift, and I didn’t check my phone—“ Bellamy panted, voice edging on distressed. </p><p>“It’s okay. She’s feeling better, I think. Neither of them had a fever. I think Charlotte and Madi were both just having kind of a bad day.” </p><p>“We’ve been having a lot of those lately…” he sighed. She could hear the exhaustion in his voice. It must be hard. To hear Charlotte asking for Octavia day in and day out, see her drawing further and further away.</p><p>“Don’t rush or anything, things are pretty calm here,” Clarke continued, keeping her tone light. The last thing she wanted to do was stress him out more. </p><p>“I can pick up some food on my way? It’s the least I can do considering…” </p><p>Despite herself, Clarke felt an odd twist of nervousness in her stomach. It was an innocent offer, take out after a long day. But something about eating dinner with Bellamy, hanging out together with their kids, it felt strangely intimate. </p><p>“I haven’t had time to make dinner,” she replied, hoping she didn’t sound too eager. </p><p>“Awesome. Do you like burgers?” </p><p>“Love em. Madi only eats chicken, though, something about cows having soulful eyes.” </p><p>“Duly noted. I’ll be there in ten. Th—“ </p><p>“Stop thanking me. I’ll see you soon.” </p><p>She hung up, running a hand gently over Charlotte’s back. It turned out, her crush on Bellamy had never really gone away...she was just as nervous around him as she’d been when she was fifteen. </p><p>They hadn’t been alone together since Raven’s revelation about their high school days. All these years, Clarke had thought it was one-sided, but now, she couldn’t help but wonder whether he’d liked her back. Almost a decade had passed since then. It didn’t matter anymore—and yet, she couldn’t get the idea of it out of her head. </p><p>She carefully stood up, keeping Charlotte propped on her hip as she moved upstairs. She would probably be more comfortable sleeping in a bed. </p><p>Clarke tucked her in, covering her with a thick blanket. Smoothing Charlotte’s bangs down, Clarke once again considered how painful the whole situation was. Hopefully, she gave this little girl a small amount of comfort today, she would never be able to fill that void, but sometimes all you needed was a hug from a mom...even if it wasn’t your mom. </p><p>She checked on Madi in her room, still sleeping soundly. It’d been an eventful few weeks. She was probably exhausted. </p><p>Everyone needed a break sometimes, and it seemed like a day of rest was much needed for both the girls. </p><p>Come to think of it. She was in desperate need of a break too. All she’d been doing lately is working and running the honey scouts. In all honesty, she looked like a complete disaster. </p><p>Bellamy probably wouldn’t be over for a while. She had some time to put on some make-up and wear something other than a dirty SCAD sweatshirt. It wouldn’t be for him; it was only to make herself feel a bit more human. </p><p>If he happened to notice, that was just a bonus. </p><p>It was incredible what a touch of mascara and a nice pair of jeans could do. </p><p>She looked (and felt) like a new person by the time she opened the garage for Bellamy. In a stroke of boldness, she’d put on a tight red tank top, nothing crazy, but a little less conservative than what she usually wore.</p><p>“The kids are still asleep,” she said, taking one of the bags out of his arms as they greeted one another. </p><p>“In that case, you’re going to love what Miller put in that bag,” he chuckled, tipping his chin toward the greasy bag she was holding. </p><p>Two IPAs were sitting on top of the food, a sticky note attached to them that read: </p><p>“It’s on the house.” </p><p>For all his grumpiness, Miller was just a big old softie. </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>The girls slept through the evening, leaving Bellamy and Clarke to sit outside, drink beers and talk about their lives. </p><p>They unpacked everything as the summer sun dipped into the horizon, the sky around them filling with fireflies and June bugs. </p><p>Bellamy talked about how hard things had been for him, shared his worries about Charlotte, his fears for Octavia and her husband. </p><p>Clarke, in turn, talked about being a single mom, about coming back to Arkadia and giving up her dreams of being an artist. </p><p>For all their differences, she and Bellamy had always had certain striking similarities, and that still seemed to be the case. </p><p>They were both two people whose dreams didn’t quite pan out, who were trying to do the best by their kids and just keep their heads above water. </p><p>“I blamed myself a lot when Madi was a baby. Did I make a mistake adopting as a single mom? Would she have been happier in a family with two parents? Was I selfish? Those thoughts used to keep me up at night,” she admitted, keeping her eyes on the fireflies instead of meeting Bellamy’s gaze. “But you can’t change your circumstances, all you’re going to do is drive yourself crazy with guilt if you dwell on it for too long.” </p><p>“Wait—Madi’s not…” </p><p>“Not biologically mine? Nope. She was an abandoned baby at the hospital I worked at. One look at her and I was a goner. It felt like fate,” Clarke shrugged, trying to keep her eyes from welling up with tears. There wasn’t a day that went by that she wasn’t grateful she’d picked up that shift, that she’d been working in the nursery when Madi was brought in. </p><p>Now that Madi was older, she sometimes forgot how lucky she was that she was a mom in the first place. </p><p>“I had no idea…” </p><p>“Well, it’s not like we were pen pals,” Clarke smiled, tilting her chin to look at him. “We grew up. We left Arkadia in the rearview mirror…” she shrugged, thoughts drifting back to those afternoons in the courtyard. </p><p>“And yet—here we are. Funny, isn’t it?” </p><p>“That we both ended up back here, still just as lost as we were when we left?” </p><p>Bellamy snorted, giving her a look so soft that it made her chest ache. She wanted to close the space between them, to cup his jaw, and rub her thumb against the ridge of his cheekbone. </p><p>There it was again. </p><p>That same feeling from the courtyard, heaviness and lightness all at once. It was confusing and overwhelming. </p><p>She didn’t imagine it; there was something between them. But it wasn’t the right time. Their kids were inside. They were both vulnerable right now. </p><p>If they did this, if she tried to cross that line, it would be a mistake. </p><p>Right on cue, a small voice called from inside, asking for a glass of water. </p><p>The moment was gone, floating away with the evening breeze. </p><p>Tonight wasn’t the night. </p><p>Clarke wasn’t sure that there would ever be a night that ever felt like the right night. </p><p>***</p><p><br/>Today was an important day. It was probably one of the best activities they had planned so far. </p><p>The honey scouts were earning their diversity badges. </p><p>Clarke and Raven had tried to keep it casual, planned a cookout for the kids and their families. While they ate, members of their troop (and their parents) were going to give presentations about what made them different and why it should be celebrated. </p><p>They were lucky. Their group was beautifully diverse. It was bound to be a pretty special night, and Clarke hoped they were all able to learn a lot. </p><p>“Can I go first?” Willow asked, hopping up from her seat excitedly. </p><p>Everyone was settled in with their food, ready to listen. Raven nodded, giving her a thumbs up. </p><p>“So I’m different for a few reasons! I have two dads: my daddy and my papa. It’s pretty cool, and I love them both a lot. Also, I’m adopted. That’s cool because my daddys chose me to be their kid, it’s part of what makes our family special. And...thirdly, I’m half black and half white. My papa is black too, and we have the same super-cool curly hair, but he cuts his because it makes his head itchy,” she explained slowly, standing on top of her chair. It was clear she practiced and that she was really proud of her story. </p><p>“Can we all clap for Willow? You explained that so well. Those are all awesome things that make you special,” Raven said, standing up and clapping. </p><p>Everyone clapped, and a few kids asked Willow questions about the things she shared. Overall, a very wholesome start. </p><p>“I’ll go next!” Madi said cheerfully, sticking her hand up in the air. “I’m adopted too. My mom brought me home when I was ten days old, so I don’t really know anything about my life before we were a family. But we did one of those test thingys, and it said I was Native American and Greek! My family doesn’t have a dad, so that’s kind of different, but I love my mom, and we have a lot of fun together!” </p><p>They continued in this fashion, sharing stories and celebrating each person’s diversity. Luca shared about his Latino heritage. Murphy talked about how he grew up in the foster system. Bellamy talked about his Filipino father and raising his sister on his own. </p><p>“Hi everyone, I’m Emori! When I was born, my hand was shaped a little differently than everyone else’s,” she explained, holding up her hand. “For a long time, I was really embarrassed about it, but now I know that it’s something unique about me, and honestly, it's just pretty cool, right?” </p><p>The kids cheered, and out of the corner of her eye, Clarke saw Zoran smile a little bigger. </p><p>Everyone clapped for Emori, and then, in the short silence that followed, Zoran stood. </p><p>He shared about being adopted, about the country where he was born, how he met Wells. And then, nervously, he spoke about his cleft lip. It was clear this was out of his comfort zone, but he smiled the entire time, talking about how he was learning to celebrate the things that made him different. </p><p>Wells wiped away a few tears as Zoran sat down, wrapping his son in a tight hug. It was a sweet moment, the kind of things that these activities were meant for. </p><p>Clarke was proud of this troop. They were a great group of kids. </p><p>“Can I go?” Charlotte asked quietly, climbing out of Bellamy’s lap so she could stand in front of the group. </p><p>Clarke gave her a thumbs up, nodding eagerly. Bellamy looked caught off guard, cautiously excited that Charlotte was coming out of her shell. </p><p>“I’m different because my mommy and daddy are in the army. The army is a group of people who fight to protect America. That means that they’re really brave. Right now, my mommy and daddy are fighting in a war, and that means that they can’t be with me. I miss them a lot, especially at bedtime, but my Uncle Bellamy is pretty cool. He reads me stories and makes me special grilled cheese sandwiches. I love him a lot, and we’re a family even though we’re just two people,” Charlotte rambled, playing with the hem of her dress. Her voice grew steadier as she went on, and eventually, she gained enough momentum to meet the eyes of a few people in the group. “ I didn’t know that families could be so small, but Ms. Clarke and Madi are a two-person family, and so are Zoran and Mr. Wells. There are a lot of different types of families. Sometimes it’s a mommy and a daddy...and sometimes it’s just a mommy or just a daddy. Sometimes it’s an uncle!” </p><p>Clarke could feel herself tearing up at Charlotte’s little speech and could see a tear rolling down Bellamy’s cheek too. </p><p>These were the first real words she’d spoken during honey scouts and man—they were good ones. </p><p>“I’m so proud of you,” she heard Bellamy whisper as he moved to hug Charlotte tightly. </p><p>She was proud of her too. This was massive progress from the little girl she’d met a month ago that was hiding behind Bellamy’s legs.</p><p>***<br/>“Chess isn’t a game, it’s more like art,” Murphy explained, walking slow circles around the kids as he explained the rules. </p><p>“Did you know Murphy played chess?” Raven whispered, rolling her eyes as Murphy swooped down to demonstrate a rook maneuver on Madi’s board. </p><p>“Yeah, apparently he spends every Saturday morning playing with a bunch of old guys in the park,” Clarke laughed, sitting back on the park bench. </p><p>Out of all of them, Murphy had changed the most. He was an angry kid, always skipping class and breaking things. It was what ended him up in detention with the rest of them. No one could really blame him. His home life had never been what anyone would consider stable. But now, he seemed to have found his center. Between the yoga and the chess, his steady and loving relationship with Emori, he was unrecognizable from who he once was. </p><p>The kids loved him, giggling at his theatrics. He’d somehow managed to make chess an exciting activity. </p><p>Strategy badge was a success. </p><p>“Are you free next weekend?” Clarke asked, turning to Raven with a hopeful smile.</p><p>“Isn’t next weekend the big camping trip?” </p><p>“Yeah...I guess Jackson has some big dinner for the hospital next Saturday so he and Miller can’t chaperone anymore.” </p><p>Clarke was scrambling. They had the cabins booked already and the campgrounds. More likely than not, she and Raven would have to be the ones to chaperone.</p><p> If Raven was busy, though—it was going to become a problem. </p><p>“Normally, I would’ve been down for some s’mores and a campfire...but my leg has been flaring up, and I don’t think I can handle a hike right now,” Raven said apologetically. She rarely brought up her leg, if she was mentioning it, she was in a lot of pain. </p><p>“Shoot,” Clarke sighed, rubbing her temple. </p><p>“Just ask Bellamy. You know you want to…” </p><p>“It’s not like that!”  </p><p>“Yeah, you both get super blushy and giggly around each other, but it’s not like that. He keeps bringing you coffees because it’s not like that…” Raven teased, dodging the twig Clarke chucked at her.</p><p>Clarke made a face, but she didn’t exactly deny it either. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about Bellamy. He was funny, easy to talk to, and they’d been texting back and forth pretty regularly after the other night. But his life was just so complicated. She didn’t want to interfere and make things worse. </p><p>But one weekend couldn’t hurt, right? </p><p>It would be fun. Charlotte and Madi have gotten really close. They would probably get a huge kick out of it. </p><p>“I’ll text him…” she resigned, ignoring the over the top fist pump from Raven. </p><p>It was a kids’ camping trip. It wasn’t like she was asking him out on a date or anything. </p><p>***</p><p>The campgrounds were massive, with a large fire pit stacked with wood, a rusty old grill, and several picnic tables. Bellamy convinced her to cancel the cabins. He thought the kids would learn more from sleeping in tents. To be honest, Clarke knew next to nothing about camping, but she took his word for it. </p><p>He was probably regretting such a bold statement now that he was helping a bunch of seven-year-olds pitch a series of small tents. </p><p>The twins were screaming, fighting over who got the pink sleeping bag, Luca was so indecisive about where he wanted his tent that he’d made Bellamy move it three times, Jordan was sitting under a picnic table reading a book clearly uninterested in the entire activity, and Madi and Charlotte were performing a clumsy rendition of piano man while standing on a table. </p><p>“Piano man was exactly what we needed right now,” Bellamy chuckled, coming to sit by Clarke in the dirt. </p><p>“It’s a nice cherry on top of—all this,” she agreed, leaning back on her elbows as the kids wrestled and played. </p><p>There was no point in trying to control this. There was something about the outdoors that brought out the wildness in kids. Wide-open spaces, no walls, no roads, no boundaries. They were free to play, free to be totally themselves. There was beauty in it, the kind of excitement that only exists when you’re small, and the world is your oyster. </p><p>“This has been so good for Charlotte. I mean, it’s unbelievable. I wish Octavia could see her like this,” he marveled, quietly lifting his phone to record Luca, Madi, and Charlotte singing and laughing and wiggling their legs on top of the table. </p><p>“You’re doing a great job. Seriously, Bellamy, you’re not giving yourself enough credit.” </p><p>The way he smiled at her words made her chest feel tight. </p><p>He looked so proud. </p><p>They spent most of the afternoon this way, drinking juice boxes and watching the kids play. The entire weekend was set for survival activities; for now, they were just enjoying a crisp October day. </p><p>Eventually, they joined in, spinning in circles and playing games of red rover. </p><p>It was one of Clarke’s favorite days in memory. For a few hours, nothing mattered except laughing and running and making the most of a sunny day. </p><p>Bellamy grabbed her around the middle, spinning her around while the kids squealed with glee, racing away to avoid being “it”. </p><p>She reached for purchase, grabbing a handful of his shirt as they laughed together. </p><p>He gently put her back on the ground, and she missed the closeness of it almost immediately. </p><p>“Me next! Me next!!” Madi called, hopping up and down with her arms outstretched. </p><p>Bellamy swooped her up, lifting Madi under one arm and Charlotte under the other. He swung them around, spinning in the air, dipping them. </p><p>It was a sweet moment, the girls laughing with their entire bodies as Bellamy marched around the campground with them. </p><p>Despite herself, Clarke wished this could be their life. That every evening could be full of moments like these. </p><p>She’d never longed for domesticity like this, never even considered what her life would look like with a man in it, of rounding out their family with a partner of some kind. </p><p>But seeing Bellamy playing with her daughter, how gentle he was, how wholeheartedly fun-loving, it suddenly felt like a possibility. </p><p>***</p><p>“Did you ever camp when you were a kid?” Bellamy asked, leaning back against the log while Clarke assembled their s’mores</p><p>It’d been a fun—albeit long day. The kids went to bed with little prodding, exhausted from all the running and playing. </p><p>This left them with a fire that was very much alive and a night’s worth of s’mores supplies. </p><p>“Not really. We were beach people, I don’t think either of my parents knew what to do with the wildness,” she chuckled, the idea of Abby Griffin sleeping in a tent was enough explanation as to why she’d never explored the great outdoors. “What about you?” </p><p>Bellamy paused for a beat, chewing thoughtfully on his s’more as she settled beside him. </p><p>Their shoulders were barely touching, the light of the fire illuminating his face, catching the sharpness of his cheekbones, the rounded curve of his smile. </p><p>“My mom loved the stars. She knew all the constellations, all the myths. We would come up here in the winter; when the air was so cold, you could barely think straight. It wasn’t exactly comfortable...but when you lie out here with the air stinging your nose, and you look up at a sky full of stars—that’s magic,” he said, voice soft, weighed down by the memory of it all. </p><p>“That’s—beautiful.” </p><p>“It was something special,” he agreed. </p><p>They sat in companionable silence, eating their s’mores and looking up at the sky. </p><p>“Is there anything interesting up there tonight?” She asked, tipping her head back on the log so she could see the stars more clearly. </p><p>Bellamy adjusted, so they were lying side by side, their shoulders lined up perfectly. It would be so easy to tuck herself under his arm to curl into his chest. She could feel the heat radiating off his skin, warming her from the cold fall night. </p><p>“There’s Saturn over there,” he explained, pointing to a bright flash in the corner of the sky, surrounded by a sprinkle of stars. </p><p>He pointed out each of the major stars, a few planets, there was so much history behind it all, and he knew it like the back of his hand. As he spoke, they edged closer together, until finally, his arm came to rest around her shoulders. </p><p>It was dangerously comfortable, the easiness of it all. He smelled like the earth, woodsy with a touch of smoke. The edge of his jaw pressing into her temple. She sagged into it, allowing herself to indulge in the closeness of another person. </p><p>His voice was calm, even, and despite her best efforts, Clarke could feel her eyelids growing heavy. </p><p>She awoke to bright light, forcing her eyes open. All the kids were standing around them; heads pressed together in concerned whispers. </p><p>“Good morning?” She said blearily, disentangling herself from Bellamy’s embrace. </p><p>He was awake now too and seemed just as taken aback from being outside as she was. They must’ve fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation, wrapped around each other. </p><p>It would’ve been sweet if it wasn’t so embarrassing to be caught in an awkward situation by your kid.</p><p>“Why are you sleeping outside?” Madi asked, planting her hands on her hips. </p><p>Clarke could feel her cheeks burning. Apparently it was possible to be reprimanded by a seven-year-old. She wasn’t sure why she felt so guilty, they’d just fallen asleep. But it felt like a line she hadn’t intended to cross was in the rearview mirror now. </p><p>“We were—guarding the tents,” Bellamy explained, his entire body cracking as he lifted himself off the ground. </p><p>His explanation was sufficient enough because the kids had already moved on to asking what was for breakfast. </p><p>They avoided each other’s gaze, both moving to change out of yesterday’s clothes and get on with their day. </p><p>***</p><p>The rest of the weekend passed with little incident, packed full of camping, hiking, and wilderness lessons. Clarke and Bellamy never discussed falling asleep snuggled together, and they were so busy that they never got another moment just the two of them. </p><p>“Do you want to stay for dinner?” Bellamy asked, they’d just finished unloading the camping supplies back into his garage, the official end of their survivalist weekend. </p><p>Part of Clarke wanted to say no. She was dirty and exhausted and in desperate need of a shower. But this felt like something more significant than an offer for dinner. There was weight behind it, the same tension from the night out on the porch. </p><p>“That would be great,” she agreed, running a hand through her messy curls, trying to make them look halfway decent. </p><p>Bellamy smiled at her, a genuine almost...relieved, smile. Immediately, she knew it was the right decision. They’d missed their window all those years ago, but it felt like maybe—just maybe, they might be getting their second chance. </p><p>The girls were already thrilled at the prospect of spending more time together, as if three straight days hadn’t been enough. Before Clarke could even finish telling Madi that they were staying, they were already trying to decide whether they wanted regular cheese or extra cheese pizza. </p><p>“Do you want a beer?” Bellamy asked, chuckling as the girls raced away to squeeze in another game before dinner. </p><p>“Yes, absolutely, that sounds amazing.” </p><p>She took the offered bottle and followed him out to the deck. His yard backed directly to the ocean, the beach just a few steps out where they were standing. </p><p>“I don’t usually like hanging out with people,” he said, cutting through the sound of the waves. “I’ve always kind of liked being by myself...but ever since we were kids—-“ </p><p>But before he could finish, the back door swung open, and Charlotte’s head peeked out over the door frame. </p><p>“We decided we want extra cheese pizza with sausage and pepperoni,” she announced, looking expectantly at them both. “And we’re starving!” </p><p>Subtle. </p><p>The timing couldn’t have been worse, Clarke was dying to hear the rest of what Bellamy had been about to say, but of course, dinner was more pressing. </p><p>They ordered a massive amount of pizza, eating while watching the waves crashing on the shore.</p><p> It was casual, just a regular old Sunday night dinner. There was so much domesticity packed into this moment, the simpleness of sharing a pizza and watching a movie together with bowls of ice cream in their laps. </p><p>The girls fell asleep exactly halfway through Cheaper by the Dozen; the excitement from the weekend seemed to have finally hit them. </p><p>“I have no interest in watching the end of this,” Clarke whispered, tipping her head toward the back door. </p><p>She was eager for a moment alone. It felt like she was in high school again, trying to sneak away for the potential of a kiss. </p><p>At least that’s what she hoped was going to happen. </p><p>Bellamy chuckled, clicking off the TV and untangling himself from their pile of limbs. </p><p>“I’ll meet you out there,” he whispered, signaling at the fridge. </p><p>Quietly, careful not to wake the girls, she eased the door open. The sun was lower in the sky now, filling the horizon with a peachy pink haze. Waves had shifted further up the beach, kissing the dunes before pulling back to the ocean. </p><p>Bellamy pressed another beer into her hand, leaning beside her on the railing. </p><p>They watched the ocean for a while, the ebb and flow of the waves. </p><p>Clarke turned just enough to study Bellamy’s profile. From this distance, she could see the splatter of freckles across his cheeks, the gentle lines framing his mouth. </p><p>There was so much she wanted to say, years of unsaid words, but nothing felt sufficient. </p><p>“What?” He asked, voice still soft, face folding into a gentle smile. </p><p>She chewed on her lip, mulling over what to say, but she just kept falling short. </p><p>Maybe… </p><p>She needed to skip the words entirely. </p><p>Before she could lose her nerve, Clarke leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. </p><p>There was a beat of slow, painful silence as Bellamy stood utterly still, and she pulled away, ready to explain away the whole thing on exhaustion and one and a half beers.</p><p>But then, he pulled her back in, cupping her cheeks in his hands. </p><p>It was a real kiss, full of ten years of unspoken words. He held her close, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, hoping it never had to be over. </p><p>They kissed and kissed and kissed, lips and tongues and teeth, a desperate edge to it as they tried to get as close to one another as possible. </p><p>By the time they separated, Clarke felt almost drunk off of it. </p><p>“I had this whole speech planned. I was going to talk about the courtyard, how much I liked you back when we were kids, how much you feel like family to me,” he said, bumping their noses together. “But this—was so much better.” </p><p>“Words just didn’t feel like enough,” she shrugged, giving him one more soft kiss. </p><p>And it was true. </p><p>She and Bellamy had spent so much of their lives trying to push away how they felt about each other. They’d grown up and grown apart and still ended up exactly where they started. </p><p>That was the beauty of it. </p><p>Clarke loved Bellamy—maybe she always had, but now, she saw them having a life together, raising kids, going camping, eating pizza on the couch. </p><p>Love like that, pure, unassuming love. It only came around once in a lifetime. </p><p>And she had honey scouts to thank for it. </p><p>Maybe she should send Josephine a fruit basket or something. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Much love my little cuties! Hope you like this little idea that turned into an absolute monster on a one-shot. It feels so good to be back after a long break and it feels fitting to have a kid fic to warm back up. </p><p>I hope you are all doing well, taking care of yourselves, and staying safe/healthy!! </p><p>Please let me know what y'all think, I love hearing your thoughts and getting to know all of you!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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